


A Galaxy at War: God, Ceasar and Cincinnatus

by Random_Moroccan



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin Skywalker Leaves the Jedi Order, Anakin Skywalker is the Force's favorite son, F/M, Gray Force User(s), Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, It's treason then, My First Fanfic, Politics, Post-Episode: s06e04 Orders, That's Not How The Force Works
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:55:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24920410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Random_Moroccan/pseuds/Random_Moroccan
Summary: In the midst of the Clone Wars, Jedi Knight ANAKIN SKYWALKER has uncovered with the help of Clone Trooper CT-5555 'FIVES', an insidious plot orchestrated by the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic SHEEV PALPATINE, secretly an ambitious Sith Lord with the goal of taking over the Galaxy and establishing totalitarian and oppressive rule over it.Framed and branded as a traitor by the Chancellor for his discovery, The Hero With No Fear finds himself as a fugitive in Coruscant a planet he once called home, with the Jedi and the Grand Army of the Republic giving chasse to him.Will he be able to overthrow the old order installed by the Sith and triumph over the Jedi who pose themselves as his enemies?Will he be able to restore peace and justice in a Galaxy infested by corruption, war and lies ?The future seems bleak, with many adversaries and even fewer allies.And yet, is he not the Chosen One, who will bring balance to the Force ?
Relationships: 501st Legion & Anakin Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 60
Kudos: 123





	1. Against all the evil the Galaxy can conjure...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER WAS REWORKED AND POLISHED THE: <<24/12/2020>>

Betrayal.

He was Betrayed.

By the corrupt republic which allowed – by its corruption and inaction – a Sith Lord to become Chancellor.

By Palpatine, said Chancellor, who saw him as nothing more than a naïve slave, a tool to be used, twisted and turned against his own friends.

And finally, by the Jedi Order and its council, who viewed him as an oddity, a monster, powerful yet unworthy of trust. Indeed, in his ultimate battle against Lord Sidious in the latter’s own office, they saw HIM, The Hero with No Fear, the bringer of victory and the scourge of the separatists as the threat. Of course, instead of understanding and helping him end the phantom menace that was – and still is – hiding in plain sight since the beginning of the war, they tried to arrest him!

An arrest that could only lead to his death as the ‘Kind Chancellor’ controls both the Senate and the Courts and everything in between.

But the hardest betrayal of them all and by a very long margin was Obi-Wan's. His own brother-in-arms, who preferred to turn his lightsaber against him - his own brother - rather than trust his judgement and end the threat that is Palpatine, to the great delight of the latter.

And now here he is, running away in the dirty and forgotten underbelly of Coruscant being tracked down by his fellow Jedi, with a mechanical hand chopped off and an unknown number of cauterized blaster wounds.

The only thing holding him together is an all burning desire for vengeance. His rightful anger among other emotions fueling his body and giving him focus. He will have his revenge, against Sidious, Dooku, the Senate, the Jedi. Everyone shall bow to him, and in time, he will right all the wrongs the Galaxy has caused to him and to itself in the name of those who have fallen to this conflict.

His comms’s lights beep to life.

Commander Rex.

Another one of his friends, no, brothers and his second-in-command.

A possible savior in these hard times, or another traitor to bring in to the chopping block?

He accepts the liaison.

“Sir, the 501st just received orders to hunt you down, they are ushering a capture or kill order, what is going on General?” Opened Rex with his military monotone voice barely holding, his training is probably the only thing keeping him frosty.

“Rex, the Chancellor turned on me. Palpatine he is the one behind the chips Fives told us about, when I forced his hand to uncover the truth, he tried to recruit me to do his dirty work and when I refused, he declared me a traitor to the Republic. Commander, I won’t lie to you, I am in deep troubles as of now.”

“Sir. I. The Chancellor?! Why would he...”

“Rex, listen to me!" Anakin cut him off, he needs to get the truth out there in case he gets arrested or murdered. "The Chancellor, he _is_ the Sith lord we were looking for and he is running a con, the biggest con the galaxy has ever witnessed. The war...he is probably using the war to take over the Republic. And everyone is oblivious! It's... it’s pure madness Rex! Listen to me! Palpatine... he is attempting to arrest me because I learned the truth, turned on him and tried to kill him. The Jedi, the GAR, everyone betrayed me Rex! Even Obi-wan! Am not even sure if anyone of them ever trusted me one second in this damn life!”

No replies came from the other side of the comms for a couple of seconds who felt like hours, radio static filled Anakin’s heart with anguish and anxiousness as he kept making the run for his life through the gutter of the Republic’s capital.

“Not exactly, Sir.” Replied Rex, breaking the tension that was building up like ice.

“What do you mean by that Rex?”

“Sir, with respect. The 501st and I, stand and has always stood beside you General, were the Republic and the Senate treated us like expendables you fought with and led us from the front. General, you’re not alone and am sure my brothers and I are willing to give you a hand to put a stick in the Republic’s proverbial ass.”

For the first time in all this blasted day - or rather night - Anakin laughs even in this dire circumstance.

“Alright Commander, you got me there, glad for you to have my back.”

“Any time General, do you have a plan?”

“No... yes, wait, is the 501st currently stationed in the dockyards?”

“Affirmative, General.”

An extremely reckless plan is forming in Anakin’s mind.

“Then...we’re going to try pulling out one of the biggest heists of the century. Alright, tell the men to cut all communications except with you and me, we don't want Palpatine to use those blasted chips in your heads. Thinking about it we’re also going to get rid of them as soon as possible but that’s beside the point. Once all communications are cut off, move and seize all possible capital ships. Arrest all resisting personnel and do it quietly. Also, while you're at it, destroy the shield generators at the dockyards, we don’t want our only escape route to be cut off and try stocking up on supplies.”

A mad plan, in truth, but it's better than nothing. And in truth, he faced far worst odds than this... probably.

“Seize all possible ships, fill them in, arrest any traitor and keep the sky open for the heist. Got it, General.”

“Alright Rex, good luck. Skywalker out.” Answered Anakin, putting an end to the short discussion, one that changed a great many things.

And so, he ran away from the traitors, the corrupt, but also from his loved ones. Padmé and Ashoka wherever they are. Would they understand him? Side with him? Or will they cast him out into the void of space like the rest? So many thoughts, emotions and so little time to go through them. It makes his head bang like a war drum.

A few hours ago, when he was a ‘devout Jedi’, said emotions would have crippled and brought him to a collapse. But now, he feels different, stronger, more focused, and all of this despite his mental and physical exhaustion.

With a bit of luck, he’ll be able to stay out of Coruscanti patrols til the last possible moment.

But when was he ever lucky?

Well there was this one time with the cave and the Gundarks...

*

The Force was swirling chaotically. The feel of sadness, anger and betrayal was infecting and progressively permeating Coruscant's atmosphere. As if it was mourning her son's - Anakin's - fall from grace.

And it gave one Obi-wan Kenobi one hell of headache.

To see the looks his ex-Padawan gave him when he intercepted the strike that almost killed the Chancellor. To see his surprise, to see his breathless face... as if he personally jabbed a vibroblade through his brother's ribs. But the worst of it was seeing his blue eyes fade and mix in with a sick yellow. When that happened, he could have sworn time itself froze. As if the Force punished him for saving the head of the Republic from cold-blooded murder by letting him 'appreciate' all the mental and physical details of Anakin's fall.

Did Anakin go mad? Did the war kill the always helpful and selfless child he once knew without him ever noticing? Too oblivious to his brother’s changes because of his own duties toward the Jedi and the Republic?

It was truly foolish for the Council to let Anakin and Rex give chase Fives, they both had personal attachments toward the latter, which, now that he was thinking about it, probably led to Fives's vanishing, Anakin and Rex surely covered Fives's escape after learning whatever misgiven 'truth' the clone trooper had.

Paranoia seems to jump from person to person these days, first Tup, then Fives and now Anakin.

Looking at the situation from a rational and cold headed view, it is clear that Anakin's attachment to the 501st was the final nail in the coffin, his desire for avenging Tup's death and Fives's pain got the better of him and the Dark Side of the Force coupled with the recent events gave him the psychotic idea that the Chancellor of all people was the man behind the curtains.

Surely that must be it. And yet, this whole affair still feels wrong.

Food for meditation it is, to be processed at a later date. 

And as his LAAT flew across Coruscant's landscape, he recentered himself and focused at the task at hand.

Here he was, "The Negotiator", giving chase to "THE Hero of the Republic" in a gunship, after said one jumped through the Chancellor’s window and presumably survived the gigantic fall with both his legs intact as they couldn’t find his body in the search zone radius. Another reckless feat and record broken, that would have been celebrated in any other circumstances.

Lost in his thoughts yet again, trying to solve this situation, Obi-Wan is only brought to reality by the ever so inflexible Commander Fox, Chief of Coruscant’s Clone trooper guard.

“Sir, the 501st has ceased all communications. Nothing is coming in-or-out of the military dockyards ever since the Jedi Council gave them the orders to look out for General Skywalker.”

“Is that so? Very well then. Commander Fox move us to the Dockyards.”

“Sir. yes, Sir.”

*

As expected, the 501st immediately rallied behind Rex once Palpatine’s plot has been exposed to his fellow brothers. All non-501st military and civilian personnel who did not rally behind the General’s call for resistance where imprisoned and/or knocked unconscious when they attempted to resist arrests.

The local Planetary shields where sabotaged and rigged to blow up should anyone attempt to activate them either manually or through military channels. Quite a nasty surprise the Engineering corps cooked up with a few Detonite charges, DC-17 blaster mags and a couple circuits.

The ten-thousand-man strong Legion was then divided into four regiments and spread through the dockyards, preparing to run four Venator-class Star Destroyers and evacuate Coruscant as soon as their Commander-In-Chief joins them.

All around a pretty smooth operation for such a short notice. If it wasn’t for the emergency, Rex would have been proud of himself and his brothers for the rapidity of the deployement and evacuation.

Of course, all plans tend to wrong. In this case wrong being LAATs landing with one Obi-Wan Kenobi on board one and no signs of The General yet.

But that’s what Rex is for right? To handle critical situations when one hot headed General and his Snippy Padawan end up unavailable.

Although getting out of tricky situations with explosives and guns was always easier than talking his way out, Rex learned a trick or two during the war.

Will that hold us against ‘The Negotiator’? Probably not, but it will certainly buy time.

If only Tano was here with Skywalker tonight, maybe things wouldn't have gone to kriffing shit.

-

One by one, the LAATs commanded by General Kenobi for the search landed close to the massive landing strips that divided the dockyards into multiple sectors, with the goal of establishing a tight perimeter and search for Anakin. As for Obi-Wan himself, he directed his own 'craft to the 501st barricades with the hopes of meeting Commander Rex, which he soon found through his familiar and distinguishable aura projected into the Force.

As for Commander Rex, he was mostly reversing a bunch of possible scenarios through his head, trying to get himself ready to lie to a Jedi and other whatnots. 

“Commander Rex, it is good to see you again.” Said Kenobi once he approched him, so soft and diplomatic, it was classic. Obi-wan was going by the books.

“Same, Sir, always a pleasure meeting you.” He said a little bit too quickly.

“Thank you, Rex. Tell me, is there a reason the 501st wasn’t deployed to assist in finding Anakin?” 

That took him by surprise, General Kenobi went straight to the point.

“Sir, you of all people know that the 501st is deeply loyal to General Skywalker, I couldn’t risk a mutiny, so I divided them and locked the dockyards, until things settled of course.”

“I see. Well, where are the troops exactly?”

“Each Battalion is in its crew quarters, Sir.”

“I do not sense them there.” Kriff, his force sensitivity is going to blow the whole thing apart.

“The crew quarters... on the ships, Sir. It's easier to lock down a ship than a base. Surely you must know that.”

“Rex, you must know that it is an extremely dangerous move, imagine what could happen if some of your troops mutinied and decided to arm themselves with some of these ships.”

Yeah, imagine if that ever happened. “Well, Sir...I... though it was the best solution with such a short time to act, yes, Sir.” He really was starting to sweat inside his uniform, General Kenobi suspicion must be growing by the second and clones aren't meant to lie, it goes against everything he ever learned.

All of the sudden, in the right corner of his eye behind a bunch of ration crates he spots one General Skywalker sneaking behind the LAATs trying to get his attention. Of course, he chose this time to sneak up!

“Rex? What happened did you see someone? I sense something is troubling you.” His heart began to beat faster, he totally forgot that he was talking to Kenobi! At least his helmet keept the latter from reading his astonished face.

“Kenobi, Sir, I... I just remembered there is an object of vital importance that will help you find General Skywalker.”

“And may I know why did you keep this information off since the beginning of our discussion?” Said the latter with mounting frustration.

“I just remembered General Skywalker and I keep track of each other with localization chips...in case someone falls into troubles.”

“I see. Well, in this case, it will certainly make things easier for us.”

“Let me give it to you, one second.”

“Of course.”

Only for Rex to pull out a Thermal Detonator, and activates it.

“Rex, what is the meaning of this?!” Now it was General Kenobi that pulled on an astonished face. He never once though he could get the jump on a Jedi, much less the 212th General.

“Sorry Sir, the General always stood for the 501st and so the 501st stands behind its General. But no hard feelings alright, it's nothing personal.” Sputtered Rex before throwing the thermal detonator on the ground and making the run of his life to the GAR speeder he used to come to the landing zone, so that he can pick off Skywalker and get the hell out of Coruscant.

The explosion and the surprise effect utilized allowed him to get in said speeder without being shot. At least he thinks so, adrenaline and its effects are one funny thing.

Its time.

He opens the comms.

“Attention, all 501st troops and crewmen, General Skywalker is in the dockyards, I repeat General Skywalker is in the dockyards. Ready all ships and prepare the hyperdrives for emergency jump as soon as we leave the planetary atmosphere. You are the best of the best, and you’ve been drilled for situations like these and won against worse odds multiple times. Commander Rex out... and good luck.”

A few minutes later, he picks up his General without a word while under fire – as always – and makes his way to the ‘Resurgence’.

The cover was blow and now they will all be marked defective traitors by both the Republic and Kamino. But Force damned him if he ever gives up his General away without a fight.

*

On board the ‘Resurgence’ - and on the other manned ships as well - naval clone officers work tirelessly to accomplish last minute preparations, as engines, shields and weapon systems are being activated, tested and manned by as many troops available.

All know it is a make-or-break scenario as they could be breached or intercepted while exiting the atmosphere. And yet, their honor, sense of sacrifice and duty toward The General makes them stand beside him and against the Republic.

All of this is but strengthen by the appearance of a wounded, exhausted but resilient Anakin Skywalker and his second in command on the bridge giving orders and supervising the evacuation from Coruscant.

Indeed, all are ready to fight to the last man for their General and they know that he is also ready to sacrifice himself for them.

Brothers one and all.

“General, all ships are ready for takeoff we just need the coordinates for the jump.”

“Alright, Rex, order all ships to jump to Nal Hutta, home of the Hutts.”

“Roger, Sir. Officers, you heard the General, we're going to Nal Hutta at the double !" He said out loud carrying the General's orders, but in a much more neutered voice, almost a whisper he asked him. "Nal Hutta Sir, Why?”

To which Anakin was more than happy to reply. 

“No worries Rex. See I tough about what we'll do if we got out for a bit. We already have the powder to light the Republic up. When news of our actions will spread, because they always do. The people of the galaxy will start asking the whys and hows, it's just in their nature. Of course, they will be lied to. But I also think the Galaxy won’t simply eat the propaganda fed to them easily this time, especially when it concerns me and the 501st. I mean c'mon why would the best of the best blow a fuze one day just for the sake of it?

So.

Knowing all of this, I thought that by attacking the Hutts we will draw the Republic to us and force confrontation and expose Palpatine for what he really is. A lying son-of-a-Hutt.”

A brilliant plan, still there is only so much the 501st can do against the might of the GAR. “But how will we win again the task force the Republic is going to send?” He replied.

“We won’t Rex.” Said Anakin with a sad smile.

“Sir?” Said Rex blandly. Waiting for more to come out. Was General Skywalker the type of general to go down with his ship in a hail-mary? Rex never truly though it was his style despite his constant recklessness. But if they have a limited amount of time and almost all the Galaxy going after them...

“By destroying Nal Hutta, we will decapitate the Hutt’s hold on power by eliminating their leadership. This will accomplish two things, give hope to the slaves by killing their overlords and create a massive amount of chaos that will piss off both Dooku and Palpatine.

But the masterpiece of this whole operation is that, when Sheev and the Jedi send their task force, it will create an immense public scandal – for them – because well, they are intervening and protecting slavers with an army of – and am sorry to say that – slaves. So am hoping that all this affair will blow up in the face of the Republic and the CIS, and send all those pretty plans Sidious has to the drainer.”

“Good thinking Sir, at least if go down we’ll take their kriffing plans to the gutter with us." He replied immediatly, as far as suicide plans were this one was one of the best they ever acted on.

Marking a pause he wondered if he and the General will ever see those who are close to him, he'll certainly miss his brothers of the other Legions and he undoubtedly knew that the General will miss Little 'Soka and The Senator.

Heh, now that he though about it. It was funny really. "Seems like Senator Amidala’s politics brushed up on you. I mean the whole suicide for the greater good. But hey, its was an honour serving with you General, and I think the rest of the men share my opinion.”

And this time a smile, a real smile did reach the General's face.

“Thank you, Rex. it really means a lot to me. But truth be told, I don’t think we are going to go down as martyrs. I have bigger plans for all of us and I hope we're all going to get through these plans alive." He paused as if something clicked in his head. "Wait, also, I almost forgot, order the Resurgence to deviate its course and tell the troops in the hangar to charge the SPHA-T. We are going to leave Palpatine a gift before we go.”

“We are firing the Big Gun Sir, where?”

“Well the Senate of course!” He replied enthusiastically.

*

“General Kenobi, Sir, four Venator Star-Destroyers are taking off with their weapon platforms online we need to get you out of the dockyards!” Said urgently Commander Fox to him.

Oh, he knew what happened. Anakin’s masterful coup no doubt, how could he have been so blind? Of course, the 501st would rally behind their General!

“Fox, get me a comm with the Jedi council we need to alert them and the planetary authorities of the breakout. Immediately.”

“Right away, Sir.”

A couple of seconds is all it took to unite most of the council by holo-comms.

And so, once aboard his LAAT, Obi-Wan began his report skipping over the trivial salutes for once in his life, the situation demanded it after all.

“Masters, Skywalker has managed to escape arrest, more so, he has rallied his legion behind him and hijacked four Star Destroyers, whom are escaping the planet as we currently speak. Unfortunately, Fox informed me that Coruscant’s Defense Fleet is patrolling its neighboring systems and our attempt at fully shutting down the planet have failed; they rigged the dockyard’s planetary shields to blow before escaping." Marking a pause for all the members of the council to absorb the information provided, he continued. "It seems that Anakin will successfully escape.”

Unsurprisingly, the council's faces remained cold and stoic despite the urgent news. But in the Force Obi-wan felt their true reaction, surprise and discontempt being the principal emotions and yet hints of fear were also in the air. Whatever the council though would happen in this faithful night clearly didn’t come to pass. They underestimated Anakin and lost their bet.

A minute or so came and went.

“So, it is true then.” said Mace Windu breaking the silence with his serious, hard and cold voice. “Anakin Skywalker is a traitor to the Republic, not only did he try to assassinate the Chancellor, resisted arrested, but also took control over several warships illegaly.”

“With all due respect Master Windu it must have been for good reasons, Anakin however unorthodox he is, would never backstab the republic he fought years with. His mind is muddled and our bond is not broken, he clearly is afraid and confused by the situation he felt in.” Replied Obi-Wan, despite him wanting to retain silence, there were too many unknowns for the situation to be examined and concluded right here, right now.

“Disturbing the news is. Young Skywalker's fall to the dark side I have felt. Anger, betrayal, sadness, his mind is permeated by.”

“How could this be, Masters.” Answered Kenobi with a suprising level of calm “Anakin has always been blindly loyal toward his friends; it has always been one of his greatest strengths and defaults. I can understand his anger, but to fall to the Dark Side of the force so quickly and abruptly is unnatural.”

“Mhhhhh. Frustrated for years Skywalker was. With the Republic, the Senate and the Order. Break the greatest soldiers, war, death and misery can. A path to the Dark Side, this war has been for many Jedis, yes.” The wise Jedi Master replied with a regret weighting on his voice.

“Well there must be a way to bring hi-”

“Sir, ‘The Resurgence’ is breaking from the pack and is heading straight to the Senate, weapons hot.” Informed him Commander Fox cutting the conversation abruptly .

Force this cannot be! He thought, this must be a dream or something! "Masters, Commander Fox just informed me that Anakin is preparing to attack the Senate.”

Oh, what can a single sentence do to a supposedly elderly council. Their stoic Jedi-like figures broke in an instant. Something Obi-wan never thought of it as possible. All what is left now a great deal of questions and statements being thrown in the air with no one to answer them properly.

“He is attacking the heart of the Republic.”

“Skywalker by his actions has shown his true intent.”

“Why did we train the boy?”

“He is the chosen one is he not?”

“What about the Temple? If he attacked the Senate, he could very well attack the temple!”

Mace and Yoda stayed silent. For good reasons even in such a tragic situation a Jedi must retain a cool headed spirit. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot to do, sending fighters or troop carriers against a Star Destroyer could very well be suicide and the damage from a possible attack successful or not can be catastrophic for the planet. More so the Home Fleet was still a couple of hours away from interception. It seems that Anakin went from the underdog of the situation to master chief. A rogue fleet, a rogue army and no one to stop him. Yet.

“Oh Anakin, where did it go all wrong?” Obi-wan mumbled in despair.

*

“Sir, the artillery battery is ready, and all manned cannons are targeting The Senate. We are positioned optimally to dish out as much damage as possible.” Said Rex with full confidence despite knowing what was about to happen.

A wide grin appeared on the General’s face.

The taste of payback he assumed it was.

“Rex, I want you to open all comms available. I have a little speech on my mind. Then we’ll show the price of corruption to the so called ‘Honorable Senators’”

“Right away, General.”

With a couple of buttons pressed all possible civilian and military comms have been opened for one charismatic general to speak his mind.

“Goodnight and/or Good day people of Coruscant.

As you may know, I am Anakin Skywalker, General of the 501st and winner of countless battles against the Separatists. Or so that was my official rank a couple hours ago.

I've learned the truth about this war which I am terribly sorry to announce. And know that it is with a heavy hearth that I do so: See, this war, the Galactic civil war, whatever you want to call it, is but a massive con. People of the Galaxy, the Chancellor is in league with Count Dooku, and they are using the war, this war as a way to cement their influence over the Republic. To what goal? Power probably, the Chancellor has become a quasi-dictator, and every month his grip further soldifies. And all of this with the blessing of a corrupt Senate and the complicity of the oblivious idiots that make the Jedi Order of which I am no longer a part of. Ever since they attempted to kill me when I tried to save the Republic from its own enemies when I learned this truth.

“I've always sided with the people and once I got wind of this terrible fact, I've attempted to end the machinations of the corrupt and the tyrant only for the Jedi Order - an order I have fought for and trusted - to backstab me. They rather protect a man that killed trillions of people to keep his mandate, than their own hero.

“However and fortunatly, my brothers of the 501st which I have the honor to lead rescued me and vowed to continue fighting for the true heart of the galaxy, you, the people. To this end, I plead to all sensible and honorable planet of the galaxy to join me in my fight and I promise you, I shall lead a total war against the true traitors. Which are, the slavers, the corrupt and so on and so forth till my last breath.

“And for the clones of the Grand Army of the Republic, know this, I have fought by your side for years against the odds, my respect for you is unlimited and I know what your position feels like for I too was a slave on Tatooine. But as all sentient beings you still have a choice, something they are actively trying to take away from you with these chips in your head. And yes, it's truly ironic that those who supposedly fight for democracy and peace are far away from the frontline as possible and protect themselves with an army of slaves with chips in their heads to keep them in line.

“Now. I have one last thing to say.

“Commander Rex, would you please give the command to fire at the chancellor’s office and the Senate? I’d like to show the true price of war and corruption to these so called ‘Honorable Senators’.”

“My pleasure General. All batteries, fire at will at the Senate.”

And just like that, with a simple order, ‘The Resurgence’ started to rain death from the skies, heavy blaster bolts impacted the senate building, crumbling its rooftop in mere seconds, melting the Durasteel and Transparisteel like it was nothing, a few minutes after the order was given, the foundations where hit resulting in several explosions, as the powerlines and auxiliary generators where blown apart. At last, the heavy artillery on board the Star Destroyer - that is normally used to take down Separatist support ships - fired a massive high-powered beam that sliced through what was left of the building from side to side, like a lightsaber cutting through flesh. The result of this intensive bombardment was undoubtably clear, The Senate was torn apart, destroyed, fully.

And where there was a building which used to host thousands of Galactic representatives mere minutes ago, there is nothing but rubble and dust now.

A quarter of an hour later and the 501st's four Star-Destroyers made their jump to Nal Hutta without resistance, leaving Coruscant and the political fallout that undoubtably resulted from their mutiny behind them.

It seems that Galactic affairs just got a lot more complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there. 
> 
> Let me thank you for reading my first piece of fiction to the end, I hope you enjoyed it and I will continue working on it as much as possible, I know how much unachieved fanfics can be frustrating to read and altough I don't want to give any promises. I'll try to make sure this one gets completed. 
> 
> Also, am sorry if my sentences are a bit...weird (weirdly constructed) altough English isn't my first language I take my time in checking if they are orthographically sound, which slows down the writing speed but hey (quality>quantity) 
> 
> To that end, if you could perhaps spare a moment and comment/critic on what you find cool/odd/weird/bad and so on and so forth it would be really great because it will help me improve my writing and give you a better reading experience. 
> 
> And that's it, tune in next week for Chapter II :D


	2. ...All the wickedness the Sentient can produce.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A certain Senator's point of view and reaction to the events that happened on Coruscant.  
> THIS CHAPTER WAS REWORKED AND POLISHED THE: <<26/12/2020>>

**Coruscant: (500 Republica)**

**7-planetary cycle latter**

It is hard to believe that the Galaxy’s course of history can change by the actions of a single man much less in such a short time. And yet, Anakin’s - albeit failed - coup (If it was ever one to begin with) has not only achieved such thing in the space of a few planetary rotations but has also – as an added bonus - set all bets off. 

The classified reports flowing and pilling through one humble and hardworking senator’s holopad are showing a grim and catastrophic picture of the Galaxy in general. 

The Republic, already strained by the raging war and its consequences (such as rationing and mass poverty, those being the results of social funds, vital resources and amenities being diverted from civilian sectors to the armed forces in an effort to boost the war effort and increase equipment production necessary for the war). finds herself on the brink of collapse as trillions of people and hundreds if not thousands of clone armies, garrisons and fleets proceeded to defect from both the Republic and the G.A.R before pledging their loyalty to Anakin’s coup and declaring that not only Chancellor Palpatine’s government is illegitimate but also that the Galactic Republic reached the point of a failed state. 

These revolts and insurrections have mostly taken the shape of popular backed military coups. 

In **Toydaria** , news that Palpatine was supposedly in league with Count Dooku which was the orchestrator of King Katuunko’s assassination immediately started a planet wide riot which was promptly backed by the army and the local clone guard who forced the Regent in place to secede from the Republic and side with Anakin’s provisional military government. 

In **Kamino** , the clones, hearing the news of ten-thousands of their best brothers being declared traitors and defective overnight alongside their general by the Chancellor’s office and the Kaminoans, have orchestrated a revolt motivated by the possibility that they too could be as easily branded as such and euthanized. After a brief message declaring that Tipoca City has been ‘liberated’ from the slavers (The Kaminoans) and that the clones shall no longer be subject to ‘droid treatment’, Kamino went into a complete radio silence. 

In worlds like **Malastare** , **Sullust** and **Christophsis** the local navy and army formations simply defected and seized control over those worlds with the help of the population. Rumors are circulating that the Jedi knights placed there have been either arrested, lynched or executed for resisting. 

And while countless worlds fall to Military Dictatorship and Clone Juntas. The Republic navy is also tearing itself down, as thousands of ships were seized by the newly formed ‘Resolute Clique’, a scion of the Galactic Armed Forces' officer class made up of an unholy mix of disgruntled commanders who heard Anakin’s call to total war and who view the Republic as a dysfunctional, broken system meant to be destroyed and remade into something stronger. And idealistic young recruits who were inspired to join the navy and army in the first place by their desire to mimic the exploits or serve under the now ex-golden boy of the Republic’s propaganda effort. Unfortunately, both sides found common ground, that is, correcting the mistakes that are Chancellor Palpatine and Count Dooku being alive. 

The ‘Resolute Clique’ only grew in size when the Senate, in the wake of the attack and in the tumult of the now dubbed ‘Second wave of Separatism’, has voted to cede even more of its power to the Supreme-Chancellor of the Republic Sheev Palpatine. Making it so, that, in effect, the Republic has become nothing more than a "constitutional" presidential dictatorship. This move of course has only encouraged defections and conflict as many see Anakin’s words come to fruition. 

It is of no coincidence that the defecting worlds - and non-clone military personnel - are the ones that were the hardest hit by misery, slavery, corruption, bureaucratic miasma or general devastation caused by the war. They see in Anakin - one that was ironically constructed and spread to the Galaxy by the Republic in an effort to increase morale - the embodiment of savior or of an avenging... prophet. Yes. Prophet is the right word for what he imbodies to them. Hope, vengeance and ultimate victory against those who wronged them. 

As of now and as a result, Anakin’s 'dominion' as some are already calling it, has spread all over the Southern part of the Galaxy, where he spent most of his time campaigning. Moreover, his grasp is only tightening on the "Southern Belt" as Republic defectors – who now number in the thousands of ships and hundreds of thousands of men - evacuate to the worlds who declared themselves loyal to his cause and against 'The Senate', a nickname they gave for Palpatine, as well as any official Senator who they view as mere goons of the former.

In the meantime, the Jedi Order alongside what is left of the G.A.R’s chain of command ordered all loyal troops - that aren't currently assigned to fight against Confederate forces - to retreat back to the Corelands. As so, the Republic’s own loyal forces are pulling back to the Inner Rim as well as the Colonies and the Expansion Regions to reinforce, merge and reorganize their formations along with their supplies and tatter chains of commands, de-facto conceding defeat in much if not all of the Mid-Rim, the Western-Reaches and the Outer-Rim who are now marked as "strategically untenable positions".

And with defeat goes more than one third of Republic airspace and systems, a little under half the army and navy together with a great portion of the Republic’s vital war equipment and facilities necessary for the continuation of the war, like the clone factories of Kamino or the production facilities and shipyards of Rothana for example. 

Thus, The Galactic Republic finds herself divided yet again and embroiled in yet another armed conflict, but this time against its own armed forces and heroes.

But even then, that is not the worst of it. 

For example, riots have erupted in Coruscant’s lower levels in support of the 501st attack on the Senate only for them to end in bloodied repressions as Martial law was instituted. The refusal of the rioters to obey curfew made Fox’s guard (reinforced with Coruscant’s police) fire on the impoverished mobs in an effort to disperse them quickly before said situation went out of hand. Unsurprisingly, the Holonet picked up on these stories which have spread like wildfire since then, adding yet another blow to the Republic’s legitimacy in the eyes of the people. 

And while the Republic or what was left of it entered a state of “reorganization” (A good way to say that the light of Democracy was fading even more so now that Palpatine was given an unprecedented and extraordinary level of powers to the expense of the Senate without being branded a traitor). with the indirect blessing of a Jedi Order too focused on the war and rooting out any more possible sympathizers to Anakin’s newly constituted clique to protect the Senate from itself. The Confederacy of Independent System was also breaking apart and spiraling out of control in its own way. 

News has it, that once Anakin’s speech was aired in a CIS senate emergency meeting, a great number of senators, fed up by the war but also by Dooku’s arrogance and tyranny, voiced their concerns and argued for an official investigation to begin on him as well as his corporate allies to see if any ties exist - or existed - between them and Palpatine. 

Unsurprisingly, Dooku refused before declaring those against him to be sympathizers to Skywalker’s cause and made his moves to arrest his political opponents so that he could too, in his own way, strengthen his grip on his part of the Galaxy. 

It doesn’t take a political genius to know that Dooku’s moves to liquidate parts of his own senate coupled with his arrogance and the way he pushed and ignored the later for years started yet another conflict. This time between the so called ‘Serrenites’, named after Dooku’s homeworld Serenno and composed of the original corporations who backed up the Confederacy’s secession in the first place and the worlds who kept their trust in Dooku, and the ‘Neo-Confederates’, the greater majority of the now defunct CIS Senate who reorganized themselves into yet another republican body of sorts. 

As droid armies are being overwritten and turned against other droid armies, as systems, planets and even families find themselves divided along ideological lines and as fathers prepare to fight against their sons to the death in thousands of worlds in the name of vengeance, peace, democracy, order, stability, security or even bread. The Galaxy finds herself weeping for her lost sons. 

There are no more dreams of ‘one last push’. 

No more hope for a quick end to the war. 

Each side has shown his renewed determination to the other and declared that peace will either be achieved through total victory or defeat. 

The only peace an individual can find now, is in death. If neutrality was a fledgling thing before, it will most certainly cease to exist in the upcoming months. 

As men and women from all species volunteer to fight or are beginning to be conscripted around the known universe to quickly fill the spots left vacant by mutinies and desertions, as fathers and mothers already cry for their fallen sons and daughters, and as factories change their production from speeders to tanks. Only one cry, a battle cry, is heard through a galaxy which once knew peace. 

No longer do the inhabitants of said galaxy chant for peace. 

No longer do sentient beings chant for life. 

Instead they boast **“Long Live Death!”**. 

_“Long Live Death!”_

That is like saying "death to life".

For this senotar, it is maddening to see that the only thing that unites the sentient beings of the universe she lives in is death, warmongering, plain and simple. To shoot instead of write, to kill instead of convince. Political power no longer grows through debates, it comes from the barrel of a blaster in the form of hot plasma. 

Only then does this humble and hardworking senator of the thousand-year old Republic realizes, the previous years of war where not years of winters, but of autumn. 

And the senator realizes too, that the winter has just started to set in. 

Indeed, at the end, all it takes is the will of one man to change history. 

Is it the action of destiny? The Force? Or simply, pure coincidence that a nine-year-old slave who once lived in a desolate planet devoid of the most basic resources became one of the most powerful man the Galaxy has ever known? 

And just to spite her even more so than normal, the universe made it so that this _man of destiny_ is her husband. Ironically it was in times like these that she needed him the most, to soothe her mind and comfort her, to tell her that everything will be alright.

Her husband, Anakin Skywalker. 

A Slave. Born on a barren desert planet. 

A Hero of the Republic. Who won countless battles through sheer will and ingenuity. 

A Traitor to his own order. Who turned against his cause. 

A God among sentient. Who, through his powers saved many a soul from the grasps of death. 

A Warlord. Controlling thousands of ships, hundreds of thousands of men, and trillions of beings. 

And a husband. A loving husband, caring and protective to the utmost. 

Despite his actions she cannot bring herself to hate him. Maybe he really is right, in this case he may very well be one of the last hopes to bring down a far more terrible and insidious danger that until a couple of standard days ago had total control over the Galaxy and its actions, sacrificing millions of people through a war that is nothing less than a puppet show or a game of holochess where one player controls both sides, to bring their schemes to fruition. 

Maybe he is wrong and terribly misguided in this case he not only plunged the Republic but also the Galaxy in a conflict that will prove far more devastating than the years that have come and gone by. 

Maybe the war finally broke his spirit as it does to the best men, turning him into a twisted, unrecognizable version of his original self in the blink of an eye.

Indeed, truth is the first casualty of war. 

(And for once, she can’t bring herself to know because of her fear concerning her husdand's own darkness. The one he always stuggled against, the wound that never seemed to close, the one they tried pretending didn't exist...)

And yet, despite all of this, the wars preparing, the Republic’s democracy fading, desolation running rampant and her world collapsing from the inside out, she cannot bring herself to abandon her duties, her own fight that begun since she was but a fourteen-year old Queen of her homeworld, Naboo. After all, the wellbeing and freedoms of the Galaxy’s sentient is something worth fighting for! What would happen to them if those who are supposed to represent and safeguard them and their interests from the abuses of power simply abandoned their oath? 

And so she swore – yet again - to protect the sick and the poor, the orphans and the maimed, the elderly and younglings from those who seek power and control, and, from those who wish to deprive them of their most inalienable rights for their own benefits. 

And where there was previously numbness and cold, there is now fire and resilience, yet again. 

And as she abandons her senatorial datapad for a wineglass. Filling her exquisitely made piece of Naboo Glassware with an equally refined fine wine of the same planet she and the glass originate from. She cannot help herself but take a long and thoughtful look at Coruscant’s landscape and the damages done by Anakin’s actions. 

The Senate, still smoking from the damages done by a Star Destroyer's worth of firepower, is already starting to be rebuilt. With massive construction ships hovering around the megastructure’s ruin, delivering men but also all kinds of material and machinery. 

Ah, yes, The Senate. Always The Senate. 

It seems that all her life both public and private has been dominated by this building and its politics. She sacrificed so much for so long in her civil service she cannot but wonder what does the future have in reserve for husband and wife. Even if they are now on the other side of the universe, figuratively as well as literally.

Will there be a light at the end of this long tunnel? A time where their love and happiness can be shared by the both of them in public without fear, without war always hovering above them? 

In these moments such things seem impossible...and yet...a vague feeling, sensation, tells her that one day her pain will be repaid tenfold with love. 

And so, she grips on to this far away though, and she lets the latter fill her hearth with hope and warmth, in a galaxy growing bleaker by the second with death and despair. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here is Chapter II, a couple of days off weekly release for you lads and gents to enjoy. I write irregularly but I always try to publish things ahead of time when I can. Schedules aren't really my forte. 
> 
> And hopefully I didn't butcher the english language too much, haha. 
> 
> As you can see I've used this chapter to set the stage and actors for the upcoming conflict but also to give Padmé a window in the story and let her express her views. I got inspired by many actual historical events that I studied like the Spanish and Chinese civil wars, you'll see that there are quite a bit of references to them scattered across the chapter. 
> 
> As always I encourage you lot to comment and critic so I can gauge what needs to be changed and what needs to be fixed, for the general benefit of the audience. 
> 
> Next chapter will be a return to Anakin Skywalker and his strike force who where en-route to Nal Hutta. 
> 
> Stay tuned to that, until then Godspeed 😀


	3. We will send onto them only You.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER WAS REWORKED AND POLISHED THE: <<27/12/2020>>

**The Resurgence: (** **Venator-Class Star Destroyer)**

** Eight standard Coruscanti rotations post “Incident”  **

Eight days ago, he made a bet, a big bet. 

No, actually, he made the biggest bet of his life, on par or even greater then when he was a nine-year-old with nothing but dreams and a self-made rusty podracer. 

Back then a Queen, a Jedi Master and his Apprentice believed in him and were ready to sacrifice their ship for him. 

Last week it was ten-thousand men and his second in command who were willing to throw their lives for him and asked nothing in return. 

And the worst of it? 

He won again. 

The first two days were filled with nothing but medical operations to get those chips out of his men's heads, dread, and, planning for the assault on Nal Hutta’s capital. 

Then rumors about unruly troops and rebellious officers started appearing on Republic military channels, which they still had access to fortunately. 

After that reports of ships, task forces and fleets going MIA started to pile up and in about the same time he started entering in contact with navy, army and intelligence officers from all kind of echelons of power. 

It was a very surreal experience. Men, loyal men, good men, from all walks of life, hardened by war and its consequences, who had been loyal to the Republic for years swore allegiance to him, an apparent traitor in his early 20s, before proceeding to seize dozens then hundreds of worlds with apparent ease. Intel has it that the local population or armies in some cases proved to be the decisive factor in taking control of certain systems. 

He soon found himself _\- And Rex who has been promoted quickly and with no celebration during the week to_ _Praetor_ _and agent of liaison of all Clone troops both in Kamino and off-world -_ in charge of forming and leading a state apparatus of a military authority that quickly took control over the Southern part of Galaxy. 

Needless to say, the task wasn’t easy, especially with an invasion plan that was being continually worked on and modified.

Sleeping hours quickly fell into non-existence, to the point that it was a miracle when him and Rex as well as their quickly assembled staff comprised of what was the Torrent Company _( Which quickly became an ad-hoc galactic administrative body - out of necessity - charged of a great many things like figuring out what the kriff was going on in the galaxy for example, or, how to link defectors together into a cohesive force)._ got their hand on one or two hours of sleep.

Caf’ became a necessity, one could even say that there is more caffeine than blood cells in their system at this point. In fact now that he thinks about it, it was truly a miracle that they aren’t running out of the stuff by now. 

Taking the fact that him, Rex and the 144 men of the company did not have a ton of experience in administration, economics or diplomacy but a lot of field experience concerning war and what goes with it. They judged it wise to not make any big steps concerning planetary or system governments, and mostly stuck in the fields of troop deployment and stockpile management. The only move they took toward ‘nation building’ was the assignment of Governor Generals who are issued and promoted from local field-commanders _( be they clone, humans or locals )_ on the basis of merit and experience. These Governor Generals are not only in charge of the local police and military forces but they also act as planetary liaison and diplomats _( to represent the new government’s will per say )._ In short the objective of these G-Gs , would in the long run, to help them keep the peace and promote inter-planetary cooperation _( as well as having_ _ears and eyes everywher_ _e around their part of the Galaxy but that's beside the point)_. 

At last, after five days' worth of hard labor, resolving problems and tying up loose ends as much as possible, he can finally return to his original task, battle planning. For the full invasion and destruction of the Hutt’s capital. 

To be truthful, the anticipation of such action almost made him forget that he was critically deprived from sleep. _Almost._

Now he finds himself with Rex and the former Torrent Company in the main bridge looking through said battleplans. 

“Alright, Lord Skywalker, let's review these plans again.” started Rex breaking his train of thought. 

“Can you stop calling me that?” He replied with false exasperation. 

“I don’t know if I can ‘my Lord’. The boys made you this title that’s something you can’t take back even if you want to. And to be honest there is worst.” 

“It started as a joke and you know that. I can’t believe people are starting to take it seriously. And what do you mean by worst?” 

“I don’t know General, maybe being called Praetor of Kamino? What ever that means.” scoffed Rex, with a tired grin showing on his face. 

“You can’t be serious; it fits like a glove!”

“Yeah a glove...for clankers.” 

That earned him quite a bit of laughs in the room, it seems that humor is still a 501st specialty. Good to know that little things like this don't change even when the world ends.

However, there is still a particular situation in his hands to be solved and so he decided to stop the banter. 

“Can we start looking at the plans, I'd like to finalize them before collapsing from exhaustion, you know.” 

“Sir, yes, sir.” 

With a couple of clicks on the bridge’s Holoscreen, the hyperspace map disappears in favor of Nal Hutta’s. 

Using his flesh hand, Anakin zooms in on the planet, until a detailed plan of Bilbousa (The Hutt Council’s capital) with its slums, streets and general infrastructure appears. 

“Alright, Gentlemen, I’d like to have what's left of your attention for a moment before we can all go catch some sleep. So here is the final plan we worked on: “Once we jump out of hyperspace in about 48h, we won't engage instantly, we’ll try to cover as much space as possible under the guise of a Republic diplomatic envoy using standard Republic and Jedi codes to look like a simple, task force charged with important, sudden negotiations. 

However, the Hutt Council will never allow warships of our size to descend in their capital’s atmosphere, as a plus if we ever try to brute force it and go for a “in-the-books-research-and-destruction-operation" those dirtbags will flee as soon as possible, putting the entire operation at risk. 

So, instead, we’ll maintain the veil and pretend we are simply here to negotiate Hutt support on behalf the Republic. 

“That leads us to the second part of the plan boys." chipped in Rex "Should the first phase succeed, we will dropping in an assault crack-team on board a couple gunships disguised as “diplomatic protection” to storm the Hutt Council. 

Once we land our cover will most likely be blown sooner-or-later and when that happens, they’ll attempt to stop us in our tracks and buy time for the slug council to disperse or go off-world. To counter it, we’ll send two regiments worth of troops in the city.

One to sow in chaos, that means seizing the banks, databases, freeing possible slaves, engaging their mercenaries and destroying strategic objectives like spaceports or railspeeder hubs. 

The second, will have as a task to create an air tight blockade around the capital, just in case someone important manages to escape or an unknown army manages to mobilize in time to counter our operation. Of course, until our goals are met no one enters and no one leaves Bilbousa. 

“Finally, once all objectives are accomplished that means the elimination of the Hutt Council and the acquisition of Hutt capital and databanks, we’ll retreat back to the Star Destroyers which will by then hover over the capital. Once the evacuation is complete, we’ll blow up the capital and go to safe space to plan out the future. Now, if anyone has questions direct them to the General and me.” 

“Yeah, I got a couple General, from the boys and I.” Pointed out Coric

“By all means, shoot.” Answered Skywalker.

“First of all, what about the civvies?” 

“There are no civvies, we don’t have to worry about that part.” 

“Sir?” Responded the Sergeant, a bit surprised. 

“Nal Hutta in general and Bilbousa especially do not have civilians, every sentient being is to be seen as a potential enemy combatant either they are mercs, bounty hunters, thieves, murderers, slavers or are trying to climb Hutt hierarchy, it’s a planet built on thousands of years of slavery. So, when we go there, we shoot to kill.” 

“Alright. Then how about infantry support?" Tipped in Kix "Urban combat is going to take a toll on the infantry I can tell that from now, especially if were looking at than many hostiles. I’d like it for us to have a bit of armored and close air support behind and above us. So we could limit casualties and keep them low.” 

“And you’ll get it" Said Rex. "Fighter and CAS support will be given freely and will be kept on standby for unit requests. Armored however is another deal, the streets are too cluttered which could lead to a lot of dead angles that can be used to get kill shots and ambushes on our AT-TEs. And we don’t have a lot of those... So, best thing we can do is let AT-RTs support the invasion.” 

“Can we at least get some TEs' in the main streets General?" Insisted the veterant medic. "It’ll help us lock down the city quicker and will less casualties, again. Not to mention the psychological advantage...” He trailed on.

Anakin sighted and looked at Rex with a knowing yet tired look. Before sighting yet again, it was a good thing they had the Torrent compagny to relly on, pointing out the flaws and whatelses.

“You make a point, but I don’t want to overcommit our forces and strain the logistics. We're not going to stay there very long. So if they are to be deployed I want them in limited numbers.” 

“Understood Sir. And, thank you." Finished Kix.

"Finally and with all respect General, who is leading the crack team into the Hutt Council’s chambers?” Pointed out his Second-In-Command, it was true that he let this critical point unanswered and to be truthful he himself didn't know. On one hand it was the main point of the operation so it would be better for him to lead it personaly. On the other hand he didn't know if Rex could assume the command of an entire Legion - which he never did - after all this tiresome political hellhole they found themselves in. They were both good as teamleaders on the ground.

In the end he though, Rex trusted him with his life as well as the life of ten-thousand men. So who was he to not trust him with a simple operation such as this one?

Decision made, he answered.

“Am going to lead Delta Squad and then we’ll have a bunch of ARC and Reg’ Volunteers to join us, we won’t be many so I’d like to take as much experience and firepower as I can have.” 

“You're going to assault the palace with the Commando squad, General?!” Said Rex, visibly surprised even with exhaustion wearing down his looks.

“Why not Rex, you read the same reports as I do, they are the best of the best, so why not use them and see for ourselves what they are worth?” 

“Am not saying they are bad fighters Sir. It’s just that, well, we don’t really know them all that well, they are on board simply because of...the events on Coruscant.” 

“Don’t trouble yourself like that Commander and in any cases Rex, seeing you will be the one leading the battle for once am sure you’ll have my back if things go wrong.” He said with as much sarcasm he could muster.

“I’ll... lead the battle?” 

“C’mon Rex it's not a big deal, you already did that plenty of time while I was incapacitated in some way or another. It's just that today is your big day and you’ll be doing that in an official capacity.” 

“Sir, it- it's an honor. Sir.” Rex answered with pride radiating off of him.

“Ah don’t worry about it; Rex, these are your brothers after all so its only fair that you lead them. Alright everyone?" They all nodded.

"Well, I think we are about done here, so your all dismissed till Nal Hutta’s ETA.” 

With a nod of the head Rex and his ‘war cabinet’ evacuated the Resurgence’s command bridge which returned to normality as crewmen and officers monitor the ship’s different parts and systems. 

At last after a week or so worth of hardships, Anakin finally finds himself with some free time (and a massive amount of physical and mental exhaustion) and with it comes a great amount of thoughts and emotions.

All of this miasma that has been previously repressed and compartmentalized as the situation demanded it at the time is starting to come down at once. He can feel it.

And it's all coming back hitting him like... a railspeeder running at full speed. 

And as he walks through the corridors of the starship to his quarters, he cannot help but find himself flooded by long repressed thoughts, ones that he simply cannot control. 

Anger. Sadness. Fear. 

Determination. Happiness. 

So many conflicting emotions and no one to hang onto. No anchor to speak of. 

Ashoka? Did they kill her or arrest her by this point for being linked with him?

Padmé? Will someone hurt her because of his public friendship with her?

Obi-wan? A traitor, pure and simple. 

Rex? His men needed to him, their general at the strongest, not at his weakest. They didn't deserve that.

He starts feeling like he is being suffocated, like he is drowning, and yet air is aplenty. His legs want to suddenly give up and yet he keeps on walking, he can’t allow himself to collapse like that, not in this situation, not while his men are anticipating his every moves. 

At last, after an eternity, he finds himself close to the doors of his personal quarters which he promptly open and closes, only to collapse a few seconds on the cold floor next to his bed unfortunatly. And in doing so he allows the darkness to take and bring him to sleep. It seems that all this exhaustion finally caught up with him. 

And for a few unknown moments he finds himself at peace, in these instants he is no Chosen One of the force or General of the 501st or anything else, he is but a simple man sleeping on the floor of a sixty million credit Star Destroyer he stole eight days ago with his best friends. 

But if he is sleeping how come he can think so properly? 

Suddenly as if reacting to his thoughts the Force shifts, no, it consolidates as if his own quarters became a powerful focus for the later, and almost as abruptly, the feel of cold metal and recycled air disappears, being replaced in favor of humid grass and air. 

It's almost like if he was back in Naboo. 

But it was impossible, none of this was possible, he was in hyperspace and the Force doesn't randomly jump into a warship. 

_“Oh, Ani. Who decides what is possible and what is_ _not? "_

This voice... So soft and tender, so comforting even his darkest of moments... one he would never forget despite the years weighting down on his memory.

“Mom?” He says, feeling hysteria taking over him.

The need, the pressure to see her was too much, he decided to open his eyes and see this...vision for himself. Lo and behold here she was, almost unrecognizable, a perfect being of light. 

There were no wrinkles, no sun burns, no cuts, she was also far younger than he ever remembered. And yet, something was wrong, her pose, body language and even smile wasn’t that of his mother but that of Padmé. She looked far too noble to be his mom as far as he remembered, even her clothing looked like they have been taken straight out of Padmé’s wardrobe. 

Something unnatural was going on, and this feeling of wrongness was only reinforced by a light motherly chuckle coming from this... being. 

_“Yes, oh my young little Anakin Skywalker, supposedly Chosen One of The Force by the Jedii. I am your mother, more so than you think.”_ She said, no, sang. Her voice so full of love it blinded him, made his heart want to burst out of joy.

“But that’s ...I... you're not it” She is dead, has been dead for years! “You're just a fruit of my imagination and my exhaustion or... something !” He wanted to deny whatever he was living, this was too much, too soon. Even now after all these years her death was still a raw wound in his heart.

“ _And yet you do not believe what you just said. Anakin. I can read through you as clearly as a pure river’s waters. After all you are my son.”_ Son. She said it again. And it filled him with joy.

_“_ But you are not Shmi ! You look like something my...mind made up to play tricks on me!” He was confused, he was hysterically happy and he wanted this to be real even if he rejected the possibility of it being so. The dead didn't come back to say their last words in your dreams, they never do.

“ _I have, indeed, taken the form of the two beings you hold the dearest. For, I think, it would make things that are to come easier for your mind. Especially as you are about to ask the question.”_

_“_ Who are you?” 

“ _My dearest, I am your conceiver, your creator, I willed you into being. And I truly. Deeply. Love you.”_

_“_ You’re... the Force? But it's impossible, the Force- it can’t- _you_ can’t materialize, you're not supposed to!” Was he loosing his mind? He was loosing his mind was he?

“ _Ani"_ She said, like a parent speaking to an innocent child with endearment. _"the truths than we cling to depends on points of views. Yours in this case has been... greatly influenced by the_ _Jedii_ _and by a certain Sith. However, my very brave and talented son, you have chosen another path, one that you have spent many years building, without even knowing it."_

And she continued.

 _"Indeed, you allowed yourself to feel, to think, you do not shy away from emotions and embrace them for what they are worth, you feel sorrow for your fallen soldiers, happiness from the bonds that links you with your friends and_ _family_ _, anger for being betrayed by one them_ _thought_ _to be a father figure. In doing so you have_ _accumulated_ _a level of power far beyond any_ _Jedii_ _, power you continue to seek without even knowing to protect those you hold close to your heart._

_And yet, you refused The Sith's offer for greater power and stood by your own principals, to use your own power for good. To protect, to defend, to avenge, to fight on."_

Then she smiled, and her smile was like the explosion of a thousand sun. In that moment he wanted to bask in that smile forever. 

_"I must say, you are quite the paradox more so than the average sentient being."_

_"And as for the question you asked. Simply think of it as this: How could I have not willed your birth if I wasn’t sentient? To think the Living Force as a monolithic entity that is made up of two sides is absurd which only shows the backwardness of these force sensitive orders. I watch and I oversee, yes, I give to those that ask, help them walk the paths they chose for themselves but I do not and cannot intervene in a more physical form. All I can do is... nudge things in a_ _particular_ _direction from time to time. Nudges that may include... you."_

Her pleasant voice changed to that of minor irritation despite the fact that she (it?) was talking about knowledge that could break and make thousands of religions and philosophies as well as the life of trillions of people in an instant.

_"Unfortunately, this infernal conflict between_ _Sith_ _and_ _Jedii_ _is once again unbalancing the Galaxy’s Life with its trillions of dead. And as I am the result of all life in the universe it is my duty to achieve balance between said life as well as death - the concepts that are the true light and darkness of existance - so that the former may keep prospering as it did for eons."_

_"Which is where you come in, my good son. Your birth was planned to_ _circumvent the fact that I simply cannot intervene in more... physical ways. As well as to retaliate against certain elements that dared to taint the sanctity of life with their arcane knowledge._ _”_

He felt void all of the sudden, as if something clicked in his brain and took all the happiness away from him. Was everyone in the Jedi order looking at him like a tool because he really was one? Because he was just a slave to an inescapable destiny that will always end up caughting to him? Was that what the 'Chosen One' title was about, the sanctification of not a person but rather a slave that is chained to his destiny?

_"Oh, Anakin, my dearest. You are not a slave."_ Her voice was like honey, enveloping his heart, soothing it. In that instant, he just **knew** it was the truth. As if, just by saying that he wasn't one, his mother was establishing that fact as a universal truth. " _The choices you took during your life from the moment you were born up to now were always yours, you chose to help the_ _Jedii when you were but a child_ _, to_ _marry_ _your loved one, to train the young_ _Togruta_ _and you chose to secede from the_ _Sith_ _and Jedi doctrines and venture into a brave new world. In fact your refusal of both these doctrines is what... pushed me to appear before you. Ironically you do not realize it, but by your actions you have already_ _started to rebalance the Universe for you have reforged a third way long forgotten for force-sensitive sentients to thread on again._

_Ani, you must understand that Life brings you options, events, challenges, but it is you and only you who can choose what path you tread on._

_More so you are not The Chosen One. Because the Chosen One does not exist._

_This title is but pure_ _Jedii_ _hubris, a rather perfect mirror for the Sith's supposed Sith'ari._

_No, you were born - or rather made - out of pure will. My will, ergo, the will of all life in the universe, and thus are a being of extraordinary power, yes. But you aren't here on this plane of existence to pander to one sect or another's philosophy._

_You are not here to destroy the Jedii for the sake of the Sith and you are not here to destroy the Sith for the sake of the Jedii._

_You are here for a larger, much larger goal in fact.”_

_“_ To achieve balance?” He blurted out instinctively.

_“Indeed. But not the balance they have taught you._

_This sectarian conflict between_ _Sith_ _and_ _Jedii grows tiresome for me_ _. One’s hubris, arrogance, ignorance and remarkable ability to create its own enemies is only compensated by the others limitless desire for power to the point of compromising and bending their own_ _midichlorians, progressively_ _becoming nothing but vessels for death and destruction_ _._

_Of course, before you balance was achieved, however the process that went to achieve said balance – One that was always short lived - resulted in unhealable wounds that still persist to this day, poisoning the very foundation of Life and putting it at risk._

_No, it is clear that a more... permanent solution must be found, something far more durable that can both purge said poisons from the Universe and assure once again a stable foundation for all life to prosper above it._

_And as I said before, said solution finds herself right before my very presence.”_

_“_ Me. You want me to balance the universe? But I-"

“ _You do not feel up to the task."_ She cut him off. _"I can see it in your eyes. You are quite the conundrum, Ani. A slave boy turned Commander, Arrogant yet Humble, Selfless yet Selfish, Powerful yet Powerless, alone yet ironically surrounded by a great deal of friends and family._

_Even now, the proverbial cogs in your very human brain are working at full speed. Chemical impulses are being sent off, contradictory to eachother, acceptance, refusal, anger, joy. All of these reactions will_ _inevitably_ _overload your neurons, leading to confusion. And yet this_ _ultimately_ _does not matter for everything is being overwritten as we speak by what truly makes you special, my child, your infinite determination to do what is best for the people you love and the Galaxy. To right every wrong._

_And_ _although n_ _ow I can already see the answer in your mind as clearly as I feel you, I once again ask, for it is every sentient_ _being’s_ _right_ _to only_ _engage in the paths he builds or finds,_ _voluntarily._

_Anakin Skywalker, would you be so kind to accept the tasks that lay ahead of you? To reestablish and enforce the balance between Life and Death, the true Light and_ _Darkness of the universe? To be the enforcer of my will on this plane of_ _existence?_

_"_ Yes.” 

“ _Then I name you by the powers invested to me by all life in the universe: Lord of the Force, The One, who will put an end to this chaos for eons to come. And_ _although_ _the road will be long and your enemies many, you will triumph for your determination will bend the darkness and your emotions break the cold light._

_And so, I say: Against all the evil the Galaxy can conjure, all the wickedness the sentients can produce, we will send onto them only you."_

A solemn pause reigns before being broken by his mother.

_"Now, take my hand.”_

_“_ your hand?” 

“ _Yes, my hand. And before you ask it is a..._ _suprise_ _.”_

_“_ A surprise?” 

_“Well_ _yes_ _dear, come on now, it is not the time for hesitating is_ _it?_ _”_

And so, he took it and the instant he did he immediately regretted his action, he felt his whole body burn from the inside out and at the same time he never felt so alive, so complete. It was as if a powerful lightning bolt struck him but instead of maiming, it powered him. 

He feels different as if something was awakened from his insides, his senses feel sharper, he feels stronger, everything is so much more detailed even in this vision.

Was he even human anymore? 

“ _To be a Human one must be born as such and_ _although_ _your anatomy might lead you to think you are one, your_ _exceptional_ _powers and the blood that courses_ _through_ _you_ _proves_ _otherwise. Frankly, any lesser being wouldn’t be able to handle this_ _amount_ _of_ _strength_ _. I believe a great number of_ _Siths_ _have withered away into nothing but husks of_ _their_ _former selves as they continuously sought to bend Life in their quest for power._

_And as for what happened to you, I did nothing but help you unlock your true potential Ani, one that you will, in time, learn to control to achieve ultimate balance.”_

_“_ My true potential?” 

“ _Anakin Skywalker, just as all life_ _in_ _the universe feeds my very existence, it feeds you and your powers now. The true limits of what you can accomplish currently speaking is what your physical body and_ _midichlorians_ _can handle._

_But, a mother can only do so much for her sons. Enough said now, you need to fly with your own wings, dearest of mine. And_ _so,_ _I let you where your own_ _subconscious_ _wants to be, and it is indeed quite the planet, rich in life and at peace with itself, one worthy of retirement._

_And before I go, please do take care of that Kyber_ _crystal_ _of yours, he is a_ _dutiful_ _companion_ _so share yourself with him.”_

And thus after what felt both like an eternity and a second in this timeless dream, his creator, his mother, The Force's physical manifestation faded away without giving him time to say anything else. And so, in but a moment he was once again alone. And yet was he really alone? If the Force was present everywhere in the Galaxy, he thought, than so did he his mother. And that provided a bit of solace for his heart who experienced so much in so little time.

He found himself aware that not only Varykino didn't vanish into oblivion but that he retained his lucidity in this vision of his, making him free to roam through the Lake Country? which he did with a great joy. He found himself happy to breath-in its fresh air and walk on its humid grass bare footed after being away from it for such a long time. 

This calm, this peace allowed him to try and rationalize what has been said.

Made to restore balance and yet not a lifeless tool, nor an obedient slave. A man given extraordinary power to server a grand purpose. His mother only asked him to be himself and to help the people of the Galaxy by ending the bloodshed. Wasn't that his goal anyway? What he truly wanted? His choice? Or was that something that was put into him?

His thoughts drift and he ends up wondering if his existence isn't so much different with that of the clones he lives and fights with. They weren’t born out of passion or love, they were born to serve, to fight for a purpose they didn't choose voluntarily, and yet, they are not slaves, they have names, identities, interests, dreams. Even more so they derive pride from the fact that they are soldiers, men of honor leading the fight, helping, saving lives and protecting entire worlds from danger and destruction. They do not reject their purpose, no, they embrace it and make it a part of them.

Perhaps he should learn from the Clones as the Clones learned from him. 

And the Force sang with joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise its the final chapter before acting kicks in, I just needed for the final pieces of the puzzle to fall where they needed to. (AKA Anakin starting to make peace between him as a person and his 'destiny' and becoming a Grey force user)
> 
> Also am putting the badass clone commandos in cause they deserve a slice of action and a bit of play in this fic.
> 
> Apart from that I don't really know what to say, oh wait, yes, The Force.
> 
> I really think that the living force which fricking *willed* Anakin into being *born* would be something sentient and close to well a normal sentient being in matters of emotion as the Force reflects well life and all its states.
> 
> And as we can see in SW, the way force users interact with the Force and its reaction to these interactions (for example when the sith bend the Force it becomes angry/scandalized/wounded - Or when the Jedis are given insight when they ask it through meditation.) made me think that the it isn't a mysterious cloud but an actual sentient "identity" (for a lack of better term) which was born and is made up from all life in the universe and has as a duty to keep life from going extinct by the actions of life itself (sentient beings).
> 
> Ironically the Force is all powerful and knowing but it is also powerless for it cannot move against life (so itself) to write its wrongs, all it can do is nudge people in certain ways, give them choices, ultimatly the power of choice is still in the hands of individuals.
> 
> Truth be told I just wrote this notes at 4AM, I don't know if they make very much sense and I'll probably will take a look at them once I wake up.  
> BTW this is the largest chapter of the 3s, hope you'll enjoy it.


	4. Vode An!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nal Huttan Blitz!
> 
> Its a battle, and its graphic, so expect a bit of gore and...murder to be honest.

**The Resurgence: Venator-Class Star Destroyer**

**ETA to Nal Hutta: 1 hour**

“Commando Equipment?” 

“Twenty detonite charges. Check. One thousand two hundred worth of DC-17m ammo. Check. Sixty high powered marksman rounds .Check. Twenty AA high-explosive GL projectiles. Check. Everything is in four separate packs, all good to go.” 

“Transport?” 

“Four LAATs/i stocked up, all ready and accounted for.” 

“Men?” 

“One hundred regulars and sixteen ARC troopers divided into four squads. Four clone commandos and you of course, General. All checked and accounted for.” 

“What about the 501st?” 

“I ordered combat drills and doubled the rations; I hope that if the men are well fed and drilled-ready for Ops it'll lower casualties once the invasion starts.” 

“Good call. Anything new?” 

“Nothing you would like Sir, it's not critical and not even on our side but it's pretty bad news if am being honest with you General.” 

“Well am here for them anyways.” Said Anakin with a bland look showing on his face.

“We have it from our allies in Coruscant that the Republic is starting to move on everyone who had...relations with us, I mean you and the Five-O-First.” 

“What?” 

It was a rethorical question, he exactly knew what that meant, Padmé and Ashoka are in danger and so are the troopers who were friends with Rex and him. 

Rex, always the professional soldier that he is, kept his voice steady despite knowing the situation at hand and stormed through the report. “An arrest warrant was issued on Commander Tano by the Republic’s court. Her case on the temple’s bombing has been reopened as they deemed that Offee’s confession has been forced upon her under acts of torture committed by you, Sir. In short Barriss was cleared of all charges and they want the Commander dead or alive.” 

If it wasn't enough being ruler of one-third of the Galaxy and planning a high stake operation. Now he needs to plan on how to rescue his little sister and wife before something bad happens to them.

Kriff.

“Ashoka has nothing to do with this. Why would they want her? She just got her life back and they already want to take that away! These scumbags, chief of them is Palpatine are going to get it ! I swear I’ll kill them all!” 

“General, Sir, with all due respect that’s what they want right now, to get into your head and make you commit mistakes. We both know Commander Tano, she won’t got down easy and she has enough skills to quick the ass of a droid regiment.” 

“This isn’t enough, it’s never enough. Palpatine always gets what he wants Rex he has too much resources on both sides, no, what we need to do is find her before he does because if we don’t, she’ll get killed- because of me!” 

“Sir, I am not arguing that we shouldn’t launch a rescue operation. But right now, we need to focus on what’s going on here, there are men counting on you to lead them into battle, General.”

Rex's words cooled him the minute they exited his mouth.

Right, people are counting on him right now. He needs to be focused on the mission.

“I... yes, Rex. Your right. I was, I mean, I just...” He takes a couple of seconds to breath in and out and gather his thoughts “I should have kept an eye on Ashoka and not let her vanish into thin air like that, now she is in danger and I can’t do anything about it.” 

“We’ll get her Sir; we always do and we always will.” And with these definitive last words the discussion ended, leaving both men frozen in place. Rex always the sensible man tries to switch the discussion into another subject “So, what happened with Delta Squad, how did you get them onboard the Op, Sir?” 

Anakin knows what Rex is up to of course but decides to let the topic go for now, he is right there are more urgent things to focus on. 

“Well... 

“ _If what you said was true, that means that all of our Brothers died for nothing. From the battle of_ _Geonosis_ _till now. In this case we’ll lend a hand and help you do the dirty work until the Chancellor lays dead._

_“However, if we find out that what you said was a lie. Let’s just say that things won’t end up pretty.”_

Delta Squad always had a way with words.

_“.._ let’s just say that they didn’t need too much convincing, they already had a mind of their own.” He said so innocently.

And apparently Rex caught that because now he has his are-you-sure-about-that-general-? face “I see. Well good think to know they are on our side, although we should keep an eye and ear on them.” 

“I didn’t know you grew to be a cautious man.” 

“Somebody got to take one for the team, General.” 

“I suppose so, I suppose so.” Gave up Anakin with a lightweight scoff.

A great pause once again establishes itself among the two men, both seem to be lost in their thoughts, unwilling or uncapable of prolonging the tide of history. Nal Hutta for all its lawlessness and poverty will soon serve as the stepping stone for both their destinies. 

A destiny fueled by heroics, sweat. 

A destiny fueled by blood. 

Perhaps it is this knowledge that troubles both men, that many would not live to see the day of peace, their ultimate achievement. 

“I suppose I should get going, I have a couple of details to tie up before launch. Remember, prepare to broadcast the codes as soon as possible.” Broke Anakin, restarting a time which had seemed to be frozen. How long where they just standing right here thinking? 

“Sir, Yessir.” 

** 

Back at his private quarters Anakin took his time to check on his own gear and prepare himself for the upcoming battle. 

After a quick shower, he exchanged his favorite black and dark blue robes for the typical Jedi outfit which he supplemented with a couple of clone armor parts such as the boots, knee pads, utility belt, wrist gauntlets and shoulder pads. 

His outfit almost looked like what Obi-wan wore in the early days of the war. The thought of his past adventures with the man he considered a brother brought a shy smile on his face, despite the profound feeling of betrayal he has for the man. 

“ _Your proficiency for flying is only matched by your ability to crash our spaceships, my dear padawan.”_

_“First of all, it’s the ship’s fault not mind, second of all we are still alive my most wise_ _master,_ _aren’t_ _we?_ _”_

_“Indeed, we are Anakin, indeed.”_

He can’t help but bask himself into the light that these cherished memories provide, it seems as if a life time passed, back then he was only a boy with a big dream, naïve, unaware of the greater stakes. 

Suddenly he feels a call, a tug more precisely, coming from his lightsaber. 

In reaction he summons it from across the room where it was peacefully sitting in the arm table next to his bed. 

“What do you want big guy? Your thirsting for action or what?” he mumbles half-jokingly. 

His blue kyber crystal sings in anticipation but not of battle he sensed that much. 

“Then what?” 

_Share._ A word comes to mind. 

“Share? Hah. How do I do that?” As he said that he had the idea, or perhaps the intuition to take the Crystal off its chamber and let it rest on his hand. 

He remembers one of the methods the Sith use to get their hands on crimson colored lightsaber was to bend or rather _bleed_ natural kybers to their will by sharing their anger, wrath and other dark, negative emotions with the sentient crystal. But he wasn’t a Sith nor did he want to bleed his crystal for that matter, as from what he learned it was a crime against the force itself. 

And yet the Force and the crystal wanted him to share himself with the later, so hypothetically he would have to implement the same technique the Sith used but instead of looking to bend it to his will he should... simply share his emotions to it? 

He really was out of his depth on this one, and yet his line of though singed true in the Force. 

And so he closed his palm on the blue kyber crystal and started to concentrate to open himself fully to the latter and the Force. 

_Here goes nothing._ He though as he closed his eyes. 

As he opened himself to his crystal, memories and his emotions began to flow and flash before his very conscience as if the crystal was tugging his mind for them. 

_His birth._

_His time as a slave._

_His mother and her death._

_His anger, his sadness, his rage._

_Padmé_ _and Ashoka._

_Coruscant,_ _Geonosis_ _and_ _Christophsis_ _._

_His wife and his pada_ _-, no_ _, his little sister._

_His first battles, his first triumphs._

_His Love, his pride, his_ _zeal._

_The Jedi Order and Obi-wan Kenobi._

_His first missions with his brother._

_The lives they saved, the people they helped._

_Happiness, frustration, fear._

All his life was suddenly laid bare for the sentient stone to assimilate and, at that it did, like a desperate man seeking water. 

At last the tugging stopped and so did his before-death-flashes. 

When he opened his eyes, the crystal wasn’t the pure blue he has known for years, instead it changed. Indeed, it lost its shine and phased out quite a bit of its traditional color in favor of grey, as a result the kyber crystal’s general tone has shifted into a metallic grey-ish blue. 

“So that’s what you wanted? A change of paint, huh.” It was truly perplexing, his connection to the stone did change considerably. Not only did it deepen –which is incredible by in itself- but he also saw a part of him reflected in the stone, -which hummed of comprehension and compassion- as if it absorbed his...personality? Essence ? Experience ? He didn't have a word for it. 

And yet he couldn’t help himself but smirk. 

“A weird stone for a weird guy.” He joked. “C’mon, we have troops to lead and ass to kick.” He said while placing the kyber back in its hilt. Not even bothering to activate it. He would see it in battle.

** 

The atmosphere in the hangar was something to behold, pilots where running background checks on LAATs, Y-Wings and Z-95s. Infantrymen and their officers were lining up in formations close to their designed transport ships, and AT-TEs where slowly making their ways up to their carries to be latched for drop off. 

He could feel the pride, the anticipation and the determination coming from his men and couldn’t help but feel the same. 

They are all individual pieces of a greater plan, a wheel so to speak that will inexorably advance, yes, the Force is with him, and with its help he shall make history and shape it as he deems it fit. 

And today was the start of said journey. 

Today the Hutts will be crushed, slavery will collapse, the Republic shall be weakened and from the ashes of destruction produced on Nal Hutta, his order, a new order will rise and spread through the galaxy. 

Peace. Justice. Freedom. Security. 

It shall become the norm he will make sure of it. 

All of the sudden the speakers went online and Rex’s voice started to bloomed out of them. 

_“This is Commander Rex speaking, we are out of hyperspace, I repeat we are out of hyperspace sooner than expected. We are have started to broadcast Republic signal to the Hutts, all volunteers for_ _SpecOps_ _present yourself to the hangar for immediate drop-off.”_

Time for action.

** 

**_ Hutt Council Palace: Landing Pad. _ **

_“_ _WE NEED TO STORM THE COUNCIL BEFORE THE HUTTS EVACUATE, BOSS WITH ME, FIXER, SCORCH, SEV, TAKE YOUR ASSIGNED SQUADS AND HELP US PUSH THROUGH THE MAIN LOBBY.”_ Anakin gave through the military communications.

He heard through the comms the calm and collected ‘rogers’ of Delta Squad. Good better stay frosty in an operation which such high stakes. 

Four ships, One-Hundred and nineteen men to take on an army of mercenaries and bounty hunters. 

Kriff. 

He faced better odds than that. 

It all went so smoothly at first, the codes where accepted and the dropships landed on the speederpads, dropping the troops without a shot being fired. And then, they were bioscanned for identification blowing the whole sneaking-part of the operation away, of course they’ll do that! As soon as they scanned him the battle began with his troops firing the first shot. 

And now they were caught in the open, his luck. But that didn't mean all was lost, far from it. The Hutts didn't have an organized army, just a bunch of independent mercenaries on payroll.

_“PILOTS GET YOUR LAATs OFF THE GROUND TO PROVIDE SUPPORT.”_ He ordered.

“1-1 is a go.” 

“1-2 is going up.” 

“1-3 is off the ground.” 

“1-4 is green.” 

Unfortunate that they sacrificed cover for firepower but they are going to need every edge they can. 

“Sir, this is Commander Rex speaking, we are detecting a massive power surge on the Hutt Palace, something bad is brewing in the air.” 

He didn't have to say it but the question of retreating was still in the air, it wasn't too late and no casualties were suffered...

No, the Hutt Council needs to die, their deaths will aggravate the power vacuum needed for them to take control over Hutt Space. And they are already in too deeply. 

“Rex, this whole operation is null if we don’t get to the council in time. Are they powering a weapon?” 

“Sir, by the looks of it, I believe...they are powering up a massive shield. They are trapping you with them.” 

“Good. That’s means they won’t be able to evacuate. How about the invasion?” 

“Invasion is a go in T-5.” 

“Understood.” 

The LAAT/i began to dish out their impressive range of weaponry, green laser beams began to appear and started cutting their way through the Hutt guards, some exploded in a disgusting fashion as their water and blood boiled into steam in an instant, while other less organic guards like the IG-88s and 100s where simply cut in half. On the other hand, HE missiles began to be dropped and launched on the more entrenched positions of the enormous landing pad they dropped in like watchtowers and sentry turrets to great effect, the comms where full of request for support and then triumphant exclamations coming from his men, as all resistance in the dockyard was vanishing. 

_“Got this one. 1-1.”_

_“Effective support. 1-2.”_

_“Good kill. Good kill. 1-3.”_

_“Tango down. 1-4.”_

_“I love the smell of Ozone and high explosives in the morning.”_

_“Focus on the mission. Scorch, take your men and flank left of the lobby, once we enter the fortress make some mayhem. Sev, you take the rearguard. Fixer, with me and the General you’ll be our support corps. Other than_ _that,_ _we keep to the plan.”_

_“Roger that. Scorch out.”_

_“We got your back, Boss.”_

_“040, understood.”_

"It seems like your men are well drilled for situation like this one Boss.” Threw Anakin while running with his squad at the Hutt Council’s Fortress entrance. 

“They don’t call us Commandos for nothing General.” replied Boss with the greatest of calms and with a hint of amusement. 

“So it seems, so it seems.” 

Behind them an impressive energy shield dome engulfed the palace, trapping the task force and its aerial support. If there was any doubt or desire to abandon the mission, it vanished with the dome’s apparition. There was no turning back now. 

** 

**_ Hutt Council Palace: Reception Rooms. _ **

Once they punched a hole through, the situation drastically improved. With ample amount of cover and experience on their hand they made short work of any encountered resistance which once again comprised of anything from droid assassins to mercenaries, interestingly, they also encountered some B1s and B2s squads which –together with the IG-100s- means (or rather meant) that the CSI had at the very least amicable relations with the supposedly pro-Republic Hutts. It doesn’t take a genius to understand it's probably another one of Sheev’s plans in the work. 

But it doesn’t matter anymore, Sidious’s petty schemes went up in flames days ago. 

As he cuts his way into the Hutt Council’s conference room with his lightsaber, trying to make himself the greater target and providing cover for his men, Anakin starts feeling shakes spreading through the building. 

And then the light went out. 

Huh, Nal Hutta wasn’t marked as geologically active on the recon maps. 

“ _General, Boss, this is Scorch, be aware that we might have used all our_ _detonite_ _charges at once on the building’s internal fuel pipes and exhaust vents.”_

Was it such a good idea to let the Commando’s demoman run around with a platoon and a bunch of high explosives? 

_“This is 038 to Deltas, submit situation report.”_

_“07, the lights went out. We switched to night vision. Good advantage on the pigs, not so much so the droids. Other than that, the rearguard is solid but running out of ammo, they keep crashing and we keep shooting.”_

_“040, all fixed electronic equipment as well as doors and hatches are off. Everything is manual now. Your right flank is protected and solid. Heavy but unorganized enemy resistance noted.”_

_“062, basement is starting to heat up. The fuel pipes and exhaust vents powered something big. They are getting angry”_

_“038, understood, standby for further orders.”_

“General, your orders?” 

“We’ll keep pushing into the Hutt council room, Fixer’s platoon will stop pushing and dig in, no need to risk more men in assaulting, he accomplished his goal in diverting attention. Also, Scorch, meet us in the rendezvous point close to the chambers, we’ll need your expertise in breaching. As for Sev, well, keep shooting them like fish in a barrel.” 

“You heard the General, Deltas.” 

“ _Like fish in a barrel... I like that. 07 out.”_

_“040, orders understood.”_

_“Always a pleasure assisting a breach Boss, Scorch out.”_

** 

**_ Hutt Council Palace: Dining Rooms. _ **

The more they advanced, the more Hutt resistance thinned out which seemed both paradoxical and wrong. 

Something was off, and his second-in-command also felled that. 

“They are retreating.” he said as they stormed into the oval dining rooms meeting Scorch’s platoon. Due to ammunition constraint because of the sustained assault since they landed In the palace’s docks, most of their assault force has abandoned their G.A.R issued primary equipment and resorted to the use of DC-17s blaster pistols, melee weapons and whatever they have scavenged from enemy forces. Non-debilitating wounds have been sustained by a large majority of the assault force but thankfully the numbers of deaths remains low. 

The fighting continued with an intensified brutality, the mercenaries and bountry hunters tried to slow them down and establish a solid line of defence which if it did happen would end the operation, they would be bogged down and eventually stuck. In an effort to counter that, him, the two commandos and the ARC troopers simply disregarded their own personal safety and repeatedly blitzed through unprepared and hastly erected Hutt defences -where their superior hand-to-hand training, suprise effect and close range weapons would win out- while covered by the Regular troops.

“I know” Responded Anakin “Either they are preparing for a counter-attack or they are digging in the Hutt Council’s room for a last stand.” 

“Sounds like a trap. What's the plan of action General?” 

As he decapitates a Trandoshian Mercenary with a diagonal swipe using his lightsaber, Anakin can only think of one response. 

“Spring the trap.” 

** 

**_ Hutt Council Palace: Council Room. _ **

That’s it Anakin though, that's the final step, all that separated the Hutt Council from their fate was this massive airlock which was clearly conceived to handle explosives of all kinds. 

It would probably resist a flew blasts from a Star Destroyer from the looks of it. 

“I don’t think five breach charges are going to do the trick General, not even ten for that matter of fact. The walls from the looks of it are so dense most of the explosive power is going to be reflected on us. Which means it’s a no go.” said Scorch, not without disappointment. 

“And power is off, so no slicing can be done.” Completed the Commando squad leader with a neutral tone betraying nothing of his thoughts. 

“And cutting through that many layers of armor will take a very long time even with a lightsaber, something we are short on, and, we can get caught off guard while am working on it. Damn.” Finished Anakin, it is a tricky situation but nothing he can’t solve with intelligent use of brute force. 

Brute Force? 

_Technology no matter how advanced is insignificant next to the power of the Force_. A though came to mind, was it his? 

No matter. 

“Stand back and prepare to storm in.” 

The two clone troopers said nothing, instead they went back to their squads to prepare them for the ultimate assault, letting Skywalker work his magic. 

And so, Anakin began to cobble up every emotion he had in his gut and let them fuel him and his growing powers as he concentrated on the wall for close inspection with the force. Indeed, no matter how a physical object seems indestructible, there is always a flaw, a weak chain, that ends up breaking. 

In this case, he felt that certain parts of the walls weren’t of the same quality as the rest, probably a dishonest provider of raw materials or a refiner who though he could make more money at the expense of the Hutts. 

Money can only buy you far. 

Using the Force, he started to bend parts of ‘the wall’ he deemed the weakest structurally speaking. 

Anger. 

Part of the seal started to crack and bend in unnatural ways. 

Love. 

The air tight seal began to wobble like it was some kind of daugh to the awe and amazement of his troops. 

Hate. 

The previously though unbreakable wall shattered as if a fist punched through jelly (and maybe it truly did). 

The troops immediately stormed into the dimly lit council room -which seemed to be running on emergency powers- engaging into a melee with its occupants while Anakin gathered himself to join the battle. 

Entering the room with a lit saber Anakin could not help himself but observe the fight, it was one bloody melee. 

Troopers, no matter their ranks, were using all kind of weapons to eliminate their picked opponents. They were jabbing, slicing and dicing them with standard issued blades. Dismembering them with scavenged hatchets. Or even. Whacking and beating them to death with DC-15s used as improvised clubs. In any cases, the mercenaries were completely caught by the turn of the events, his men bought a vibroblade (quite literally) to a blasterfight and were using the close quarters and surprise to great effect, once again, against the the Hutt men on payroll. 

The whole situation was a slaughter, it didn’t even last ten minutes especially with him and the Commandos at the helm of the assault, by the end of it they stood triumphant amidst the dismembered bodies of their fallen enemies, with his clothes as well as everyone’s armor painted crimson red. 

And it felt exhilarating to vent out his righteous anger on the Hutts and their cronies. 

The Hutts. 

Quickly scanning the room, he found none of the Council’s body, which begged the question. 

“Where are they?” He asked a loud, but he knew the response the Hutt Council’s chamber was empty they missed their objective. 

No one answered. 

All of sudden no more than five holoprojectors activated along the stages the Hutt council members use to sit on during their meeting, and lo and behold there they are, Jabba, Marlo, Arok, Gorga and Oruba. The five ‘great’ families of the Hutt. So close yet so far away he assumed. 

And they all had the biggest smile of their lives. 

“ _You though you could kill us so easily, slave boy?”_ stated Jabba “ _You are pathetic, worth even less than Tatooine’s sand and even then...”_

They all started _laughing_. 

“ _You shouldn’t stay her too long, better flee before my men come and put you in chains.”_

They laughed even _harder_. 

“ _Why are you in shock? Did your master hit you too hard? Did defeat cost you your tongue?”_

_Slave boy._

_Defeat._

He sacrificed everything and they still taunt him like the poor slave boy in Tatooine that failed to keep his mother safe. 

And despite his powers he still failed to end slavery, something he fought for his entire existence. 

Worst of all they laugh at him like a worthless spec of sand. 

No. 

_No._

**_NO._ **

**He is a person and his name is Anakin, the most POWERFUL being in the Galaxy and the LIBERATOR of trillions.**

**THEY WILL DIE TODAY.**

**“Enough!”** he commanded while closing his fist firmly and focusing his mind on the Hutts. 

**THEY WILL DIE. HE WILLS IT. THE FORCE WILLS IT.**

And then it was like he had his hand on the five of them. Slowly but surely, he levitated them and started to crush their windpipes, wiping their laughs, smirks and smiles in favor of absolute terror as their hands clawed at their throats in their futile attempt of breathing. While in the various holo-backgrounds cries were being heard. It must be slaves or guards trying to figure out what is happening. 

And if they cut the comms... 

No, he couldn’t risk that. 

So, with a flick of the wrist he broke their necks and sat down, tired and thoughtless, looking at the lifeless bodies for an unknown amount of time, before the holocalls ended. 

The room felt in complete silence. He could only look at his hands which where full of blood and shaking. 

He was used to it by now, its just that...that...

He felt sick, unwell and yet powerful. He used the darkness to accomplish his goals and it felt _good_ it still feels _good_. And now the darkside within him called for even greater acts. But he couldn't have that, he won't loose himself in his fight however just it is. People need him, his friends and family need him.

And now more than ever he needed them.

And yet. And yet...

It was still good to see the Hutts die in pain and terror.

And it was good to see that they got what they deserved.

He really needed to rest and think through his actions.

“Mission accomplished, Chief?” Said Boss, breaking the heavy but comfortable silence which sat in the room, everyone it seems, was resting and gathering themselves from the continuous assault. If anything, they deserved it as much if not more than him. 

“Yeah. Mission accomplished Delta.” He slowly said with a rought and strained voice.

“Good, than let's get out of here.” 

And with that Boss lended him a hand for him to get up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So euh, hi guys am back again with a 4-5k chapter for you to enjoy.
> 
> Don't have much to say except that Anakin is stuck in a limbo of him managing his darkness, wanting to help his galaxy and get his family back. (and trying to not get lost in all his ambition).
> 
> He is starting to incorporate some Vader elements, like openly force choking people, using his negative emotions for focus, ambition for galactic rule. But he is still undoutebly Anakin, just a bit more on the...un-jedi side of things.
> 
> (and yes, I will fix my typo mistakes. Potentially, hopefully, maybe, perhaps.)


	5. To The Madness of Daring We Sing a Song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the 35 days of wait guys. Had too many ideas and I started to dedicate myself to another story.
> 
> Starting from now I'll start juggling between the two to give my head the time to bring new ideas to the other.
> 
> In any case enjoy 2000 words :)

**The Resurgence: Venator-Class Star Destroyer**

**Nal Hutta: OPERATION CHAINBREAKER.**

The Resurgence’s commanding bridge was brimming with action. Every line of comms was occupied and requests of all kinds where flowing through the monitors. 

In time like these, Rex along with the Torrent Company and their General, would normally be on the ground feeding plasma and high explosives to tangoes, unfortunately, seceding from your chain of command leaves you with fewer choices about who should be the leading tactician, general and admiral of an invasion-sized force. 

Lucky he and the boys learned from the bests _and_ on the job. 

Plus, battling the Clanker-in-chief doesn’t leave you with much of a choice but improving... or dying. 

Looking at the strategical holomap of the city, the situation can only be described as muddled. 

By the looks of it 'the battle' is more akin to a raid doubled by a siege than anything else, and their Order-of-battle seems to confirm it. 

Instead of a classic urban assault where a frontline is established then pushed against an organized enemy force, the General _-in his infinite wisdom-_ decided that directly dropping platoons via air close to established objectives was a good idea. 

Sure, it cuts on a lot of time and surprises the enemy, but by all the gods the universe made, what a pain in the ass is it on the logistical side of the battle. 

Instead of sacrificing precious time to establish a proper on-the-ground base and starting their assault from there (Like any boring Orthodox Jedi General would do), they made it so that the Star Destroyer acts as a supply depot, hospital, base and command center all at once. 

Which means that virtually everything is brough or sent via LAATs. 

Unsurprisingly, that makes it so that both the pilots and the commanding center are constantly overclocked. The situation is so tense the air-jockeys could probably cook ration bars on their seats and roast a Shaak on their dropship and gunship’ engines. And for the ship officers, the same could be practically said.

Who would have guessed that unorthodox strategies lead to unorthodox problems which require unorthodox solutions. 

Unfortunatly there is no miracle solution to this perticular problem, best you could is endure it.

What a headache. The sooner this situation is done the better. 

Speaking of which... 

“Jesse.” 

It was always good to have a second view and hand on the battle, after all how many times did he save the General’s skin early on in the war when the latter was deep in the fight that he couldn't even see past his lightsaber.

Tunnel vision would do that to you. 

And it was with this and his previous experiences in mind that he made Jesse his second-in-command. 

“Commander, Sir.” He replied with a quick salute, always eager to help. 

“At ease lieutenant, report.” 

“Sir, all tactical objectives have been taken. 

The main roads are kept lockdowned tight by our armored companies and the spaceports have been taken and scuttled to prevent anyone from escaping. 

The troops have finally broken through the data vaults along the fortified banking sectors. As for the Hutt chief estates we are facing greater resistance than anticipated, but progress is still being made at a fairly fast pace. 

Concerning the perimeter established around the city, it is solid and holding. We have received intel that a few skirmishes have been happening around the southern part of the city but it's nothing the boys can’t handle and contain.” 

“What about The General position? Anything about him?” 

“Unknown Sir, that dome is stopping all our communications from going in-or-out. And worse, heat scans of the Council’s palace where the General dropped suggest that something big is going critical under the fortress.” 

“A bomb?” 

That would certainly... complicate things, depending what type and how big it is. 

“Not likely, no spikes of radiations have been detected and the source is of thermal origin, heat slowly building up. If anything, it must be the generator that powers the palace seeing how massive the latter is. Boys must have done a number on it and sabotaged the thing. Rigged it to blow.” 

That got a small smile out of him.

Oh, he liked that line of thinking alright. 

Skywalker and explosives go practically hand to hand. Seeing how he is one himself. 

“Wouldn't surprise me that the General decided to blow the place. 

Alright, we’ll go with your theory. Calculate the blast radius and start evacuating all wounded personnel and troops that could get caught in it. Also, take some troops off the city perimeter and send them to reinforce those who need it. Once we collect all possible data from our objectives, I want to start the city evacuation ASAP."

"I don’t want to spend more than needed in this place.” He concluded.

“Right away Sir.” And with that Jesse excused himself and went on to put the given orders into motion. 

Seems like time is running out, whatever General Skywalker is doing he better wrap it up fast... 

* 

They were exhausted, tired, both physically and mentally. But. They made it safe and sound back into the massive platform where their suicide mission started, and, as a bonus, there was little to no enemy contact between them and the LZ. 

Hutt shills must have had enough of getting murdered by all kind of possible manners. After all what’s the point of having money if can't use it because you got decapitated by a bunch of angry clones? 

In any case, the light at the end of the tunnel and out of this hell was finally within grasp, although many of his brothers who volunteered didn’t live to see it. 

Personally, he has rarely seen such level of violence and brutality, even in that meat grinded that was Geonosis. Typically, their missions revolved around infiltration, disruption and assassination behind enemy line, although he –and the rest of Delta squad- have seen their fair share of frontline combat. 

But even their experiences of said frontline combat didn't compare to whatever happened here... 

Fighting with the General of the renowned 501st and his troops was a... new experience. The sheer desperation during the frontal assaults, the willingness of sacrifice that pushed many regulars to give out their lives -with ease- so that the rest of the team could move forward, the fact that Skywalker was first in last out... 

This was far more than the regular esprit de corps or even the natural brotherhood clones had. 

This was fanaticism to the upmost. 

It was clear that the 501st troops were ready to throw their lives as if it was nothing for their General. 

As for why? He didn't know. It was clear there was mutual respect between his brothers and Skywalker, it was also clear that Skywalker doesn't ask of others what he won't do himself. And apparently throwing his life was one of these things.

After all of this, the task force has suffered a rare one-hundred-percent casualty rate, everyone aboard the LAATs was either more or less seriously wounded -the General and them included- dying or dead. 

So what is the 501st just one big suicide pact? To see who dies first? The General or his troops?

Well.

At least they got the dirty job done. Despite what the odds threw at them. The hord of mercenaries, bounty hunters and various war droids prooved to be no match against the ferocity and talent of the volunteers.

Besides, to be thruthful, he was... relieved that his team has survived a brutal -perhaps the most brutal- SpecOps relatively unscathed and unharmed (Meaning no loss of limbs or serious mutilations). 

As for the Hutts... nobody would miss them really; they were a nasty bunch anyways. Two millennia of slavery, war profiteering and all that would do that to one’s reputation. 

_How they went to the hell they belong too however..._

_Killed at the hands of a man who_ _was practically shinning crimson red from toe to head and with those eye bags, dark circles and cold, hard demeanor... If Lady Death had a face it would be currently Skywalker’s. No doubt on that._

Better not keep this line of thinking. He doesn't get payed enough for that.

These are thoughts for another time. As in, when the war ends. 

He was a trooper after all, made to kill not debate and think ideology and politics (And certainly not metaphysical Jedi powers ~~or whatever the fuck that was~~ ). 

But what can he say honestly? 

Inaction invites these lines of thought, that he knew. Every soldier given enough time starts thinking beyond his pay check. 

And its not like he had anything else to do, they have been hovering since a couple half-dozens of minutes ago trying to put a dent in that massive shield with High Powered-Lazers and missiles.

Plus, he judged it fair to give his own team the time to dissect and absorb the events that happened on their own term. The fragility of the human psyche and all of that. Even for clones, rest, both physical and mental, was vital for the “Well functioning of a unit in the long term” as the Kaminoans so dearly put it. 

And they were right. 

War breaks the best of men and destroys the strongest of families. 

He can only hope that his would make it alive out of this mayhem. 

Abruptly, his HUD’s commlink icon twitched to life. 

“ _Attention lads and gents, this is the captain of this lovely gunship speaking. I advise to all of you pretty faces to buckle up, the shield that kept us trapped has just failed and we have received an emergency transmission from high-command saying a rather large bomb is about to blow up._

_One that we are currently hovering on._

_So please. Be aware that all standard rules of flight safety are defacto ignored. For the sake of preserving the occupants aboard this fine ship of course.”_

The pilot was tense he could hear his voice break a couple of time even if it was transmitted from modulator to modulator, and yet, the poor bastard still had time to improvise a couple of one liners. No doubt the man’s coping mechanism. 

Ah well.

He couldn’t help but internally laugh at that. 

Clones and humor truly go hand in hand. If anything, when the war finishes, the Galaxy will see the rise of the greatest generation of dark humor-minded comedians that has ever lived. 

* 

Organized chaos. 

That’s what the bridge became these last minutes. 

It was the storm before the calm, the grand cleanup before going home, the shockwave coming to hit your boat before passing, the... well the... 

~~Couldn’t help but scoff.~~

Well he won’t end up a comedian that’s for sure. 

Point being he was proud that his men, his brothers, could put in motion an operation this size and this complicated with minimal planning after so many days of hardship. Not to mention, of course, ensuring notable success with fewer casualties than anticipated. 

Indeed, now that all primary and secondary objectives have been taken and pacified and while the on-the-ground troops were progressively being ordered to return back to home base -aka this Star Destroyer-, the Encryption and Decryption (EaD) brigade was already slicing through the data that was captured and transferred by ground forces at hearts content and with great efficiency. 

Already, preliminary reports of all kind were being sent to his personal Datapad detailing the contents of the decrypted data which was -for now- limited to slave and black-market bookkeeping, bank accounts, different access codes, blacklists and, of course, a couple of contacts inside the Republic and Separatist governments and military. 

In general, it was the kind of stuff that can help you get an advantage against the other half of the Galaxy which you are currently fighting against. 

Now, he was no politician, but even him understood and knew that cash in war was pretty important business. 

Money is the nerve of the fight, no credits means no new ships, supplies, troops, food etc and etc... 

Meaning no money, no war. 

A pointless war, one that saw the deaths of trillions of people for the ego and power of one man. 

But a war nonetheless. 

So, getting access to the Hutt council’s banks and stealing their dirty credits... 

Yeah, that would keep the war effort going for some time, a long time in fact. 

His thoughts got ripped apart as he saw a borderline blinding flash of light illuminating the bridge. 

As if a sun just detonated. 

Intrigued, he made his way to the bridge’s windows and low and behold, a great mushroom cloud was standing in the exact same spot where a dwarfing Hutt Fortress used to... _exist_ a few minutes ago. 

It was truly awe inspiring and humbling to even to the bravest of soldiers. 

Makes one feel insignificant next to such devastating power. Detonations like these could snuff out the lives of thousands in an instant, that he knew... and not simply because of the Kaminoan training.

If only the inhabitants of the Galaxy were good at peace as they are good at war. Then they wouldn't need clones to fight for them...

He let out a long _sigh,_ at least and fortunately, they had the good sense of maneuvering both ship and troops away from the blast zone, under the 'better safe than sorry' doctrine. Once again Jesse proves himself to be of good sense. 

And... 

Was his mind making something up or where those a squadron of four LAATs in the distance trying to outspeed the cloud? He was sure he ordered everyone of the Aircorp to avoid the danger zone. 

Wait. 

Where is General Skywalker? 

_Oh._

Oh. 

**OH**.

_Anxiety. Panic. Fear. Happiness. Excitement_ _._

He felt them all at once and it made him feel dizzy. 

Very dizzy. 

He was too young to have a cardiac arrest even by clone standards was he?

_OF COURSE._ The one time **he** _isn’t with him_ , The General goes with another of his _brilliant, foolish suicide plans._

“Jesse.” 

His voice sounded tighter than he would have liked. 

“Commander, Sir.” He replied in an instant, as if he felt the urgency of the situation even without knowing what happened.

“Open the hangar. Now. We have a slight problem.” 


End file.
